Reflection on discussion

Anne Frank wrote: “I don’t believe the war (World War II) is simply the work of politicians and capitalists. Oh no, the common man is every bit as guilty; otherwise, people and nations would have rebelled long ago!” (May 3, 1944.)The Nazis needed Dutch collaborators to carry out their fascist decrees. What would have influenced someone to become a collaborator? What factors would have encouraged someone to join the resistance? Do you think these factors were based on personal characteristics or political beliefs? How should accountability for wars be assigned? So many say they never understood what was happening. How likely could that have been?


I am reflecting on discussion number 4. I think that to convince someone to become a collaborator all you would have to do is threaten them with something or to offer them something in return. You would probably join the resistance for two reasons. Probably if the Nazi party directly affected you be hurting someone in your family or by hurting a close friend. Or you would join the resistance if you thought that what the Nazi party was doing was morally wrong. I think both these factors are personal characteristics because you would only do something if it was affecting you. I think that responsibility for the war should be put on Germany because they elected Hitler and therefore they could have stopped everything before it got started. I believe that although a lot of people said they did not know what was going on I believe a lot of them did. They just didn't act up against it because they were afraid of what would happen to them.